Terrence O'Donnell Answers Questions

Candidate for
Judge; Supreme Court; 6 Year Term Starting 1/2/01

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Ohio and asked of all candidates for this office.

Read the answers from all candidates.

Questions & Answers

1. Would you support public financing for judicial candidates? Why or why not?

Ohio tax laws currently provide for Ohio income tax credits for contributions to Ohio Supreme Court candidates. As a Supreme Court Justice, I would be willing to consider expanding this form of public support and to further study the issue.

2. Would you support a voluntary system in which the Governor would appoint Justices to fill vacancies from a pool of qualified applicants selected by a bipartisan group? Why or why not?

Generally, I would not become involved in the process of filling judicial vacancies; however, any procedural changes would have to comport with the Ohio Constitution and applicable statutes. The Canons of Judicial Ethics require judges to refrain from engaging in political activity.

3. What do you see as your role on the Supreme Court in reducing the backlogs on lower courts?

To reduce court backlogs, the role of the supreme court justice would include providing assistance to the trial and appellate judges as needed, monitoring individual judicial reports in an effort to establish judicial accountability, and to work with the Chief Justice in discharging his responsibilities in this regard.